DNV faces a difficult choice: Views or losing jobs and businesses

04 May 2018

Local economy and job creation will suffer if the District of North Vancouver makes changes to local laws that govern height restrictions for industrial structures, industry groups warned the council in a public hearing.

Representatives of waterfront industries told council a decision to restrict heights of building such as silos, chimney and other structures in North Vancouver would make the area less desirable place to do business and impact growth of job-creating industries crucial to the economic health of the North Shore. It was two years ago that the council first asked the staff to amend the zoning bylaw to address negative impact to views resulting from industrial development on the waterfront.

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The changes would remove height exemption for industrial buildings such as bunkers, chimneys and smokestacks, permanent cranes, grain elevators and gas holders. As many as 80 properties could be affected by this bylaw change and about 25 buildings would be rendered non-conforming as their height exceeds the new 25 metre maximum height being proposed by this bylaw. If any of these buildings were damaged or destroyed, a new building structure would have to conform to the new bylaw, unless a variance is requested from the council.

The new rule would affect some big industrial operators, including Seaspan, Allied Shipbuilders, Canexus, Kinder Morgan, Terrapure and Allies Shipbuilders. The changes to the bylaw would be especially challenging for Fibreco, which is proposing silos for its new terminal enhancement project as the company gets out of the wood chip industry business to build a new grain terminal as it invests agricultural food industry.

Building silos that would reach a height of 38 metres, which would exceed height of 25 metres being proposed by the new bylaw. Kerry Lige, the CEO of Fibreco, said the new rules would harm a business that would provide 120 long-term jobs and pour $15 million in direct economic activity. “We have spent an excess of $4 million dollars, and we have just successfully made an agreement with a local customer, and frankly we risk losing that customer,” he said. Lige said the new silos wouldn’t block much of the view but it would be impossible to build a viable grain terminal on the site with the height being proposed in the new bylaw.

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To build and operate efficiently, height is a major component without which the company won’t be able to support its business case. Kris Neely, a senior program manager for Economic Partnership North Vancouver, said local economies needed industrial lands that could generate high-paying jobs in the community. “These businesses operate industrial land, particularly, the ones involved in port-related activities, operate in global markets and they need large specialised equipment to be highly competitive,” she said.

A representative of Kinder Morgan said the changes in the bylaw would make it difficult for industry to operate efficiently. The company has 15 acres of prime and developable port land. Sheds and silos are the main designs they are looking at. Restricting the heights would make developing the land onerous, said a senior vice-president of the company. “We have invested over 200 million in improvements and this would affect future potential for development. It raises the level of uncertainty for customers who work with us.

This shouldn’t be amended and we feel it should be left as it is,” he said. Tom Corsie, a vice-president of real estate for Port of Vancouver, also expressed similar views. The change in the bylaw would hinder the competitiveness of the North Shore trade area and discourage investment in marine terminals, he said. “The impact of the port is 9000 direct jobs and $6.8 million in taxes, and the changes will limit the existing facilities when they want to upgrade their operations.”

By Gagandeep Ghuman

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4 Comments

The District and the City, through Metro Vancouver are building a new waste water treatment facility which will have a height of 41 meters, at the foot of Pemberton. So for the municipalities to build what they wants without consideration for the height impact on the neighbouring residential homes and then impose a restriction on all others is a little disingenuous.

Every once in a while, an issue appears to come out of nowhere, that has the potential to injure the quality of life of so many who are employed directly or indirectly. We are a port city. Much of the quality of life we enjoy on the North Shore comes from the commerce that happens on our waterfront. Is it as simple as ‘how many might have their views change because an industry is trying to modernize, versus how many jobs must be sacrificed?’ Will somebody have their view of a few office towers across the harbour?

Is this being considered because one blue gantry crane was erected? While at the same time, the City of North Vancouver has retained a Museum Crane at Lonsdale Quay to remind us of how important Ship Building was to our City and Nation.

Only takes one federal amendment to remove port lands from all local jurisdiction. Some of those structures are involved with the national shipbuilding strategy.
DNV should be careful with precedent if they want any control in the future.